, 1887-08-18
LINN TALKS.
The Fetterman Murderer Inter-
viewed BY The Leader"
He Relates How He Iourneyed from
Laramie to Omaha.
Says He Tramped Nine Days
Without a Meal.
Newspapers are Responsible for
His R~ecapture.

Sheriff James Sterling, of Albany
county, arrived from the east last evening
accompanied by Ed j. Linn, one of the
SIX prisoners who escaped from the county
jail at Laramie City last month. Linn is
charged with the murder of an old man
named Parks at Fort Fetterman. He
recklessly fired into a dance hall and
Parks death was the result of the shot.
When first approached by a LEADER
representative Linn was very uncommu
NEGATIVE, but finally warmed up and be-
came quite laxative. Among other
things he said Just twenty-eight days
before | was arrested in Omaha | walked
out of the Albany county jail with five
other boys. Our escape was a pretty
neat job. We didn't cut a single bar and
hurt no one.
Il have no excuses to offer for getting
away. 1t was perfectly natural that \
man locked in a dismal jail should desire
his liberty. l was never in trouble of any
kind before, and couldn't stand the con-
tinement.
1T would take a whole lot Of money to
get me to play another months engage
ment like the past one. Some OF you
fellows think a man ought to get to South
America in twenty eight days, but | didn't
have a cent on earth, and was afraid to
approach any Of my friends. l know
that they would have helped me, but l
didn't want to drag them into my trouble.
L could have caught plenty of horses, but
l have punched cow too long to make a
break like that.
81 have went for nine days without a
square meal. Have on the same clothes
L left the Jail with. | walked nearly all
the way to Omaha. l was within a few
miles of Fort Laramie and hoofed it from
there to a point on the Union Pacific near
North Platte. | don't know ANYTHING
about railroads or tramping, and had no
use for the dirty buns who ride in box
cars. | wanted to get to my old home in
Pennsylvania.
Il would never have been caught In
the world except for the -- news
papers. | couldn't pick up a scrap of
paper any place but what the first line |
read was about Linn, the Fetterman
murderer A lady gave me a lunch one
day, and the paper in which it was
wrapped devoted three columns to the
exploits Of Linn, the r%ed-handed assas-
sin, thief, thug and pickpocket.'
Why, | never did a wrong act in
my life. | didn't intend to kill that man.
He was one of the best friends | had and
one Of the finest old men who ever lived.
l would as soon have murdered my own
father as to have hurt old Parks, and
there are lots Of people in Douglas who
know it. 1t wasn't my fault that DR..
Barber got blood poisoned, and no fair
minded man can say 50. They talk about
lynching me up there. If | ever see
Douglas again, and that's where I'm
going when | get out OF this, there will be
a couple of killings up there, and a good
chance for a lynching. Those fellows
may kill me, but they will never hang
me-"
Linn had become terribly excited and
his eyes flashed viciously as he de-
nounced those who had been instrumental
IN causing his incarceration. He fire.
quently spoke to a gentleman from Doug.
las who sat near by, and called upon him
to substantiate certain statements as to
the previous pleasant relations existing
between himself and the victim of the
cruel sh9Vhe fired when crazed by drink.
Il feel so disguised with the whole
business" continued Linn, that | could
Jump out of this car window and fight 100
men right now
Il was roaming around the streets of
Omaha dirty, Respondent and discour-
aged, looking for someone whom | knew,
when a fellow from Douglas spotted me.
| denied that | was Ed Linn, and he left
me.
FINALLY | wrote home for money
and signed my own name There 5
where | put my foot in the trap,
but | wouldn't have used an assumed
name for anything in the world.
My folks would have wanted to know
what was the matter right away. | had
become reckless and didn't care. | be-
lieve that in another week | would have
started for Laramie. | thought that
every man that looked at me thought |
was a fugitive. | was arrested at the
postoticc while inquiring for mail. |
knew Of no one to send whom | could
trust. expect the money arrived to-
day. The chances arc that if | lad re-
ceived it | would have got on a drunk
and been caught anyhow, but | don't
care now, I'm rather glad that Sterling
has me once more. He treats all the
boys we'll
Linn was greatly surprised when he
heard Of the shooting of Cooley and Pei
ling. He asserted hat he wa not in the
vicinity OF Chug at any time. Linn ex-